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So the Germans are trying another formula, lets hope it works out better this time around. It will be a series of 8 shows going from February 2nd to March 12th which is the grand finale.

About 4.500 people went to the castings of Unser Star für Oslo, the German preselection to determine the country’s representative at the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo. Out of those, 20 participants were selected to compete in the first two shows on 2nd and 9th February, to be aired on ProSieben. From each show, five singers will advance to the next round, where they have to participate in the three remaining elimination rounds, again aired on ProSieben:

1st elimination round: February 2nd (tenacts competing, five will qualify)

3rd elimination round: February 16th (eight out of ten will qualify to the next round)

4th elimination round: February 23rd (six out of eight will qualify to the next round)

5th elimination round: March 2nd (five out of six will qualify to the next round)

After those shows, ARD will host a quarter final on March 5th. Out of the five remaining acts, four will advance to the semi final on March 9th, broadcast by ProSieben. In the grand final on March 12th, broadcast by ARD, the last two hopefuls will battle it out to get the chance to be the German representative at the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo. The winner will be decided via SMS- and televoting. Not only the winner will be chosen by the public, also the song which the winner will represent Germany with.

The jury

As the mastermind of the German selection concept, Stefan Raab will be the head of of the jury. On each show, he will be joined by two other well- known German celebrities, associated with the music business, inlcuding Jan Delay, Sasha, Adel Tawil, Cassandra Steen, Rea Gravey, Barbara Schöneberger, Xavier Naidoo, Stefanie Kloß and Joy Denalane. In the first show, to be held on February 2nd, Yvonne Catterfeld and Marius Müller Westernhagen will complete the jury. In the second show, to be held on February 9th, Sarah Connor and Peter Maffay will judge the contestants along with Stefan Raab.

Trailer

The offical trailer of Unser Star für Oslo is available as well. Just follow the link and you’ll be able to watch an over five minutes long trailer featuring clips from previous editions of the Eurovision Song Contest, as well as excerpts of various castings of Unser Star für Oslo (trailer starts after one commercial):

Tickets for the live shows can be purchased online, following this link here.

A major national event

In a special press conference for Unser Star für Oslo, Stefan Raab described the Eurovision Song Contest as major national event: “The wide range of the popular guest jurors shows how seriously Germany is taking the contest this year. The Eurovision Song Contest is the European Championship of singing. Our motto is: Your country, your song, your vote. The winner of Unser Star für Oslo will be our national team, which will be selected by the audience only.” Raab’s intention is to send quality to Oslo and to help in getting the deserved attention for the Eurovision Song Contest: “The contest is an unbelievable media spectacle. However, as one of the biggest shows on the planet, it has always been somewhat neglected in Germany, due to the fact that preselection had only consisted of one single show. This time, the audience will get to know his star for Oslo through eight live shows.” Raab also warns about too high expectations for the final in Oslo: “We cannot count on Germany winning the contest, however, a top 10 placing is realistic. The first and foremost task of this year’s Eurovision project is to emotionalize the German viewers, in order to give the contest the attention it deserves.” Being asked about whether he fears the competition of other casting- shows, Raab states: “We are the clear alternative. Quite on the contrast to other shows, our goal is sustainability. We are searching for a star who has the potential to survive longer.”

Stefan Raab represented Germany in 2000 as a singer and composer and in 1998 and 2004 as songwriter, reaching the top ten on all three occasions.

Swedish heart-throb Ola Svensson musical career began when he took part in Idol 2005 where he placed 8th, this landed him a album deal and since then has landed himself an impressive 5 number ones in the Swedish charts “Rain“, “Natalie“, “S.O.S.“, “Feelgood“, “Sky’s The Limit” and his 2008 Melodifestivalen hit “Love In Stereo“, one of my personal favourites.

In Sweden he is known as Mr Feelgood and the song is described as a modern, poppy, international up tempo hit.

This is one of the songs that we are really looking forward to, hopefully though Ola will discover the wonders of hair gel before the night in question.

2. Jenny Silver – A place to stay

In the 90s she was Sweden’s uncrowned queen of dance band and went under the name Jenny Ohlund (now Jenny Silver) as the front person in the band Candela. After a few hectic years, Jenny decided to switch career and appeared in musicals like “Evita” and “Jesus Christ Superstar”, and sang the rock band “Holden”.

This is her first appearance in MF and the sing is described as “A dark, minimalistic, melancholy and hopeful pop song with club character that makes people feel beautiful and sexy.” (I love Google translation)

You can hear some of Jenny singing here and here. She seems like fun but meh…

3.Linda Pritchard – You’re making me hot-hot-hot

Linda Pritchard was one of the names of Idol 2008. She is a trained dancer and took part in among others as a dancer in MF 2006 and 2008.

This is her first appearance as a singer in the competition (lots of virgins this year) and has been described as uptempo with Latin elements aka Schlager.

She sounds nice singing “Fast Car” with a pop twang and here she is in Idol 2008 with “Top“.

4. Pain of Salvation – Road Salt

Described as a progressive metal band, I suspect this is part of SVT’s agenda to mainstream the competition. Their first time here the song is described as “A delicate song that refuses to give up, on a journey into man’s dark corner, where we do not want to be seen but is”.

I have no idea who this guy is so I’ll let his SVT profile speak for him. Anders tried several different careers before the age of 22 decided to become an actor. He has his career been employed at the Royal Dramatic Theater, appeared in films (including “Santa Claus is the father of all children” and “Wallander”), television productions, musicals and shows. He has also had time to join the “So let it be” all five times!

Described as “a cross between Freddie Mercery and Pavarotti, who comes to save the world with music.” Listen here for a rendition of “We are the Champions”

6. Jessica Andersson - I did it for love

Now we’re sucking diesel. MF royalty Jessica was part of Fame who won in 2003 and came 5th in the final in Riga, and has had several other MF since then. In 2006 (did not get through to the semi final) and 2007 (eliminated in the second chance heat).

The song is “an emotionally charged and beautiful ballad about the pain and despair around a love story.”, hmmm a bit of a departure from her normal pop stuff, we’ll though.

7. Frispråkarn – Singel

A Swedish rap artist, a relative unknown, the song is described as “Crazy dance beat with graphic text, in a mixture of hip hop and R & B.” I think we might be giving this one a skip…

8. Salem – Keep on walkingSalem al Fakiris one of this years wild cards. He is a well established name in Swedish music and has earned a lot of praise from both music critics & audience since his debut in 2006. He was worked with none other than Robyn in the past. This is his first appearance in MF and I kind of like the way he sounds.

So very much a mixed bunch for the first Semi, maybe the mainstreaming will work for Sweden, who knows. But one thing is for sure, our eyes will be glued to our sets come the 6th

From the country that has brought us the Viking Dance, dancing police men and off key drag queens comes the hopefuls for Denmark this year.DR have received 562 submissions this year and they narrowed that down the 7 acts with 3 wildcards (invited by the broadcaster themselves). Amongst them include a Russian pop star, a previous winners grand-daughter, a dancing queen (well ok he was in the Danish Dancing with the Stars…) and everyone’s favourite Danish girl band Sukkerchok. YAY!!! Oh and did we mention that Ronan Keating is back again?

Normally I would have written a small biography on each artist and song but I’ll use the Google translation from TR’s website do the trick for me

Brian Rice- Breathing

Bryan Rice girl can melt hearts and few adult males to shed a tear. That he hopes will happen when he debut note that Grand Prix soloist with the song ‘Breathing’.

Joakim Tranberg – All about a girl

A pop song, you just become fond of the lid. How to describe “Love me nat’ winner Joakim Tranberg their Grand Prix song, written by particular Irish superstar Ronan Keating.

Maria Matilde Band -Panic!

Our music is well suited to the Eurovision Song Contest because it’s happy pop, “says Maria victory and Matilde Kühl – combined duo Maria Matilde Band.

Simone – How Will I Know

One of my biggest dreams come true, says Simone to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. Ballad ‘How Will I Know’ is composed specially for her by Grand Prix veteran Jacob Launbjerg.

Jens Marni -Gloria

Noam Halby from Johnny Deluxe is one of the signatories behind the song ‘Gloria’ as the Faroese singer Jens Marni sings. – It kicks ass, they say about the song.

Chanée & N’evergreen – In A Moment Like This

The Danish superstar in Russia, Tomas N’evergreen, comes home to Denmark to sing the duet ‘In A Moment Like This’ with Christina Chanee. They believe themselves that their song has a good chance of getting to the top internationally.

Kaya Brüel (Wildcard)- Only Tonight

Her grandmother won the Danish Melodi Grand Prix in 1965. Now actor and singer Kaya Brüel make her art after his own song ‘Tonight Only’.

Thomas Barsøe - Just Like Rain

A good, solid feel-good pop song, everyone can sing and clap with it! To describe the Danish superstar in Asia, Thomas Barsøe, his Grand Prix hit ‘Just Like Rain’.

Sugar Shock (Wildcard) -Fighting for love

It’s time to win the girls think Kat, Inez, and Richard, who is back in the Danish Melodi Grand Prix at a wildcard.

Silas & Cats – Come Come Run Away

We are going to make it damn well promise Dancing with the Stars star Silas, who sings rock duet ‘Come Come Run Away’ with Kat from the band The Cat.

The final will take place in Aalborg (who knew there was more than one city in Denmark?) on Saturday 6th of February, the same day that Melodifestivalen starts. But Sukkerchok YAY!!! For those of ye that don’t remember, shame on you, here is their performance from last year where they came 3rd, as well as Hera Bjork’s fantastic second place.

Several acts have been disqualified in the Spanish selection process. Karmele Marchante aka Popstar Queen, Chimo Bayo, Kejío and Juan Losada are officially out of the competition for allegedly breaching the rules of the official selection process.

From this moment, all 4 of them have been removed from the Spanish Eurovision website and therefore this has led to changes in the current top-10. Coral Segovia is now leading the list, followed by El Pezón Rojo and Samuel & Patricia.

RTP have released the first phase of songs that will take part in Festival da Cancao 2010. Once again Portugal takes the lead in the hippy and eclectic music industry. Listening to a few I’m not that convinced there is anything in there of real interest, but only time will tell.

You do have to give the Portuguese points for originality these past few years though, with memorable entries from both Flor-de-Lis last year and Vânia in 2008.

The first phase of the voting procedure has begun and people are asked to vote for their favourite song until 27 of January. You can listen and vote for the songs here

Over 1 million votes have been cast in the first 3 days. Blogs, Facebook and the media are full of anti-Pop Star Queen and how they want her to resign from the competition, and I for one couldn’t agree more (unlike other people here I could mention).

Unfortunately she is leading with 100,000 votes, fan favourite Carol has only 80,000 in second place while third goes to El pezón rojo with less than half of that.

In case you don’t know, or care, here is the Dutch song this year, Ik ben verliefd (shalalie) by Pierre Kartner.

It’s a little naff isn’t it? I mean yes there is a certain charm about it, don’t get me wrong, but it really is a song for another generation, of kids who watch the Smurfs, in the 70’s.

In fact most Dutch feel so strongly about it they don’t want it representing their country. A group of euro fanatics and several member of the Dutch music industry have petitioned TROS (The Dutch broadcaster) to remove the song in favour of other composers like Brendan Graham (Ireland 1994, 1996) and Yves Barbieux and Michél Morvan, who wrote the song for Urban Trad in 2003. They have returned several unopened submissions to composers over the past year leading to a lot of speculation amongst the Dutch press that TROS just don’t really care anymore. However according to TROS “We definately are aiming for a spot in the final”, a spokesman states.

This Friday TROS is going to announce the artists taking part in the Dutch Nationaal Songfestival, on 7 February. Lets wait and see which poor unfortunate will sing this, I for one am hoping it’s one big April Fools joke

In fairness I’d be miffed too if entries like Hind’s 2008 performance got glossed over for other less qualified entries.

Once again Armenia proving they can do it better than Turkey with this infectious little Bollywood dance number.

When I initially heard this song I wrote it off completely. I was obviously on crazy juice at the time. This was Armenia’s 3rd entry into the Eurovision and their best result so far coming 2nd in their semi and 4th in the final in Belgrade.

RTE have confirmed that the final selection for Ireland’s entry to the Eurovision will take place on the Late Late Show on Friday night, March 5th.

The Late Late Show Eurosong 2010 special will feature five songs chosen by a jury from all the entries received by RTÉ. The winning song will be selected by a 50/50 spilt incorporating regional juries aswell as a public televote. The same format as last year.

The closing date for entries will be at noon on Monday, the 1st of February, 2010. Entries should be submitted to Eurosong 2010, RTÉ Entertainment, Donnybrook, Dublin 4. You can find out more details here